Sammy Hagar recently shared the story of a song he wrote that Alex Van Halen initially dismissed, only for the drummer to later regret his decision after hearing the final version. The track, “Eagles Fly,” was offered by Hagar during the production of Van Halen’s 1988 album OU812. However, Alex wasn’t interested at the time, brushing it off with a quick critique.
Hagar recounted the moment in a social media video, saying, “I was at the studio, playing it on acoustic guitar for Eddie, and Alex was standing in the background. Suddenly, Alex blurts out, ‘Sounds like John Denver!’” Hagar joked about his reaction, adding, “I said, ‘Yeah, what’s wrong with that? John’s amazing! Don’t diss John Denver!’ It was a funny and unexpected moment.”
Since Van Halen wasn’t interested, Hagar included “Eagles Fly” on his 1987 solo album, I Never Said Goodbye. Eddie Van Halen contributed guitar, bass, and backing vocals to the track. Once Alex heard the finished version, his opinion shifted dramatically. “Alex came to me and said, ‘You should have saved that for Van Halen!’” Hagar recalled. “I reminded him of what he’d said about it earlier, and we both laughed.”
Ironically, “Eagles Fly” became a staple in Van Halen’s live performances during Hagar’s tenure with the band. “It’s funny how it became one of Alex’s favorite songs,” Hagar reflected. “It was also one of Eddie’s favorites. It really could have been on OU812, and it would have been incredible. But things turned out the way they did, and it’s a song I’ll keep playing for the rest of my life.”
